Coffee in Common (31 page)

It must be one of the girls. But why didn't she call my cell?

"Hello?"

"Hi Jessie, it's Paul."

A blush colored her cheeks.

Cripes! What if he knows I was daydreaming about him?

"Umm, hi! How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you. Have you changed your mind yet about going to the prom with an old guy like me?"

Jessie's blush deepened and spread to her ears as she recalled her comment of last Saturday night. "Uh, no."

"That's good because I'm really looking forward to this."

They made small talk for a few minutes, or rather, Paul made small talk as Jessie found her usually vast vocabulary suddenly reduced to a small series of barely intelligible croaks and grunts. She was grateful when he finally asked her a question that only needed a straightforward answer.

"There are a few things we need to talk over." His voice had changed, deepened a bit. "First, what color is your gown?"

"It's white."

"Okay. What about a ride? Have you made plans to share a limo or anything?"

"Well, Ethan, umm…"

"Say no more. I get it. I'll take care of our ride."

Jessica wasn't used to guys taking charge like this. It was a nice change and she realized she liked it.

"Now, for the most important thing. What do you want to do about Ethan? Will you let me have some fun with him, or will I have to be good all night? I mean, you seemed to like the idea of teaching the worm a lesson. If you still want to, we should think about strategy, you know?"

She was still very much in favor of making Ethan wish he'd never cheated on her. Her vocabulary seemed to have returned and they chatted for about thirty minutes. She told Paul what she could about Ethan and what to expect at the prom, and they worked out the beginnings of a plan.

After he said goodbye, Jessie flopped back across the bed again and closed her eyes. This time, she imagined Ethan growing more and more jealous, more and more sorry, more and more miserable. When she dozed off, the satisfied smile remained on her face for a long time.

TUESDAY, MAY 11

7:55 AM

Tom and Priya waited quietly at their desks.

Tom was usually the first to arrive every day at 7:20. As team leader, he liked to have time to review progress or make adjustments to schedules before the others arrived. Sometimes, though, he just liked to sit with his feet up and daydream. That was his intent today, but when he walked through the door, he realized Priya must have beaten him in by at least half an hour since she had almost finished. She quickly explained what she was doing and he pitched in to help.

They shared a grin, each wondering how he would react when he arrived. They were about to find out.

Paul strolled into the office, coffee cup in hand, froze, and burst out laughing. His stop had been so abrupt that Rob, who'd been but a step behind, bumped into him. When he realized how the office had been transformed, he too cracked up.

Taped to the wall behind Paul's desk was a large homemade pennant that said SOUTHBOROUGH HIGH. On his desk were two cheerleader's pom-poms in the school colors. Red and gold crepe streamers had been twisted together and strung in rows along the ceiling. Thin ribbons and tinsel dangled from the streamers and from the walls.

Priya was glowing with pleasure at his reaction. "Since you'll be reclaiming your youth on Friday, I thought this might help get you in the proper mood."

"How did you know I was going to a prom on Friday?" he asked, once he was able to control his voice again. But before she could answer, he said, "Wait. Let me guess. Jillian told you at lunch yesterday."

Priya's grin was all the confirmation he needed.

"See, I was right. I told Jillian no good would come from the three of you having lunch together." Paul turned to face Rob and Tom. "Were you two in on this, too?"

"Not me," Rob replied, holding up his right hand.

"All I did was help her put up some streamers this morning," Tom said. "She was almost done when I got here."

Turning his attention back to Priya, Paul grinned and said, "Well thank you. This is very cool." A thought occurred to him. "Say, did Jillian know about this? And Lisa?"

"No, it was all my idea. I didn't even think of it until late yesterday afternoon."

"When you started giggling for no reason."

Priya's raised eyebrows and tilted head told him he was correct and that she was impressed he'd noticed and put it together.

"So Tom. Can we leave this stuff up until Friday?"

Word of the prank spread quickly through the company and all morning people stopped by to see for themselves. By nine o'clock, Paul had explained why he was going to a prom so often he'd distilled it down to ‘Girlfriend's sister's boyfriend dumped her. I'm escorting her to her prom so she won't miss it.' By nine-thirty he was so tired of saying it he printed the words on a large banner and taped it to the front of his desk. From then on, when someone stuck their head in, he just reached forward and pointed down.

At lunchtime, he called New England Coach to arrange for a limousine. The owner remembered him.

Paul explained why he wanted the car and Davie suggested he book a beautifully restored white 1931 Bentley 8 Litre, a very impressive ride.

"Will Gary be available to drive?"

"Well, he's already booked that night, but he might want to switch with someone. Let me track him down and I'll get back to you."

Tom was treating everyone to Chinese food from The Golden Panda on Beach Street and their luncheon specials arrived as Paul was finishing his call.

Between bites of Kung Pao Chicken, Vegetable Moo Shu, and Shrimp with Chili Sauce, Rob and Tom began to razz Paul about his upcoming date with his girlfriend's little sister. Tom started it all when he offered to chaperone the couple. Then Rob lectured Paul about having the girl home right after the prom.

"And no funny business, mister. She's a good girl," Tom chided.

"But if there
is
funny business you better make sure Jillian doesn't find out," Rob added.

"Unless she goes in for that kind of thing."

"Oh wow, sisters. You lucky bastard."

They kept it up until Priya was laughing so hard she couldn't eat. And though he tried his best to ignore them, Paul, too, soon found it impossible to keep chewing.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12

4:55 PM

As the hands on the clock approached five, Priya sat at her desk flipping through a pile of photographs. The guys were all on the phone, Paul and Rob talking to their girlfriends, Tom to his wife. She wasn't really paying attention to the photos. She was watching Paul out of the corner of her eye.

Since their kiss on the Common last Thursday, Priya tried to sort out her feelings for him. There was no doubt he'd awakened something inside her that night, but she was still not sure if what had touched her heart and caused this confusion was a result of their friendship or the surge of excitement his lips engendered.

Probably both.

The sound of him laughing at something Jillian said sent a warm glow through her chest.

Priya Kumar you are being silly. You're acting like a schoolgirl with a crush.

She sighed.

But you'll get over it. All these romantic feelings will fade and just the friendship will remain. But until then, I guess it can't hurt too much to enjoy it.

She flipped over another photo and resumed watching and wondering.

Paul was last to hang up his phone. He looked around the room and asked what everyone had going that night. "Jilli still has an hour or so of work to do. Anyone up for a few beers at DHL?"

Rob grunted. "Lisa told me to ask if you and Jillian wanted to meet us there, so I guess we're in." He turned to Priya. "What about you, Pri?"

"Geez, I had this big night planned, head home, eat dinner alone, and then read a book. Hmmm, should I give all that up to go out and possibly have fun? I don't know…"

Paul grinned at her. "Priya's in. Tom?"

"I wish," he said, feigning disappointment. "But the madhouse awaits."

Tom often joked about how miserable his home life was, but everyone knew he couldn't wait to get out of work each day and rush home to Patti and their five children.

He was one of those lucky men who married the love of his life and who loved spending time with his family. Patti once told them that when he came home, he'd usually give her a quick kiss then hunt down the kids and play with them for an hour or more before dinner. He'd have loved to have five more, but she was not one of the lucky women for whom pregnancy got easier each time. The labor and delivery of each child had been long and hard, so when, two days after delivering Kerri, she explained to Tom that he could have a vasectomy and have sex or not have either, he made the appointment that same day.

Now, he told people it was the best move he'd ever made. "You know," he'd say, grinning from ear to ear, "when you're shooting blanks, you're wife can't really tell if you're hitting the target so she makes you practice all the time. And I do mean
all the time
!"

Priya, Paul, and Rob parted ways on the sidewalk in front of the Common. Rob headed off to meet Lisa at work while his friends started down one of the paths that would take them across the Common to the corner of Beacon and Charles.

"Jillian told me you two had a really nice time last Friday," Priya said, glancing over at him.

He met her gaze with raised eyebrows and a lopsided grin. "I bet she told you a whole lot more than that."

Priya nodded, lips pursed in a tight smile, her eyes wide and flashing with merriment.

"Did she tell you about the pantyhose at the beach? And about me saving her from a drunken bully?"

"She did."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And what did she say about me? Was everything really okay? It seemed like it all went well. Did she…"

"Hey, take a break. Remember Friday morning, when Lisa asked how much you wanted to impress Jillian and you said you wanted to knock her socks off?"

He nodded.

"Well think about it. You did it, literally, when the pantyhose came off."

Paul crowed with delight. "That's right! I never thought of that! Man, I am
sooo
good!"

Priya rolled her eyes, but extended her hand and slapped the one Paul proffered.

They walked slowly, enjoying the warm spring air. She was surprised when he changed the subject. She could tell there were questions he still wanted to ask, but thought it best to let him get there in his own way. She only half paid attention as he told her about an art show this coming weekend at a small gallery in Somerville featuring the work of Emma Washington, a woman who dated his brother years ago. Paul had always liked her and her art and stayed in touch. One of her early works, a nude in silhouette, hung on the wall of Paul's living room. She'd given it to him on his twenty-first birthday but hadn't told him it was a self-portrait until two years ago. It was the only real piece of art he'd ever owned, one he knew he'd value for the rest of his life.

 As he spoke of his old friend, Priya thought about this new friendship of theirs and how comfortable it felt. She liked being with a man and not worrying about the whole sex thing. In some ways it was like having another brother, but in other ways very different. She knew she could tell Paul anything without fear of the judgment or ridicule she could expect from Raj.

"So, she really told you everything about the date, huh?" Evidently Paul had talked through his tangent and was again heading toward the question Priya suspected was coming.

"I think so, but I can't be sure, of course."

"Did she tell you about our kiss on he beach?"

"She sure did. And Lisa and I were feeling quite jealous."

"Jealous?" He was clearly confused.

Priya grabbed his arm and stopped him. She turned to face him and said, "Tell me something, Paul. And I want the truth. When we kissed last week, you weren't really trying were you?"

He began to shuffle his feet, suddenly uncomfortable, but Priya was having none of that.

"If this friend thing is going to work, Paul, we have to be honest with each other. I think I already know the answer, but I'd like to hear it from you anyway."

"Okay, you're right. I guess I didn't want to answer because I thought it might hurt your feelings or something. But no, my heart wasn't really in it when I was kissing you. I'm sorry." His hangdog expression made clear his contrition

"Don't be. I could tell your head, and I guess your heart, were somewhere else. But the point is that even though you weren't trying and even though there was no spark between us…" She laid the palm of her hand on his chest. "…Paul, that was one of the best kisses I've ever had."

He wasn't entirely sure if she was serious or setting him up, but his look of remorse transformed to one of hesitant pride.

"Now use your imagination. If you could kiss me that well without trying, imagine what Jillian experienced on the beach when I know you were trying. Trying, uh…hard, too, from what I hear."

 "Geez, do women always have to tell each other every little detail?"

"Honey, we live for the details." Priya laughed and started walking again. "And now you know why we were jealous."

 Paul again steered the conversation onto more mundane topics as they reached the corner of Beacon and Tremont Streets. They waited in silence for the light to change, surrounded by other pedestrians who knew it was safer to wait than to play chicken with Boston's aggressive drivers.

Five minutes later, they walked through the door to DHL and Paul noticed many of the male eyes checking out his companion. He wondered if that sort of thing got oppressive for women or if they enjoyed being the object of so much admiration and lust. It was a question he'd have to ask her some day.

After they settled at a table near the middle of the room, he asked, "You feeling lucky tonight?"